What is Brainspotting Therapy?

I'll be honest, when I first heard about Brainspotting, I thought it sounded strange.

As a therapist who values science and evidence-based approaches, I was skeptical. The idea that where you look could somehow help process trauma seemed a little too "woo-woo" for me. At the time, I knew I wanted to specialize in trauma treatment, and as I researched the leading approaches, three therapies consistently stood out: Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Internal Family Systems (IFS), and Brainspotting.

My curiosity grew when a therapist I deeply respected shared her experience after completing one of her first Brainspotting trainings. She described having a powerful healing experience of her own. Because I trusted her judgment, I decided to learn more and experience it for myself.

When I completed my Brainspotting training, I had my own powerful experience processing a traumatic event from my past. What surprised me most was that the healing occurred at a deeper level than simply talking about the experience. I left feeling convinced that there was something unique about this approach and excited to bring it to my clients.

Since then, I have witnessed remarkable transformations in many of the people I work with. These experiences led me to continue my training and ultimately become a Certified Brainspotting Therapist.

What Is Brainspotting?

Brainspotting is a brain-body therapy developed by Dr. David Grand. The premise is simple: where you look affects how you feel.

Traumatic experiences are not stored only as memories. They can also become stored in the body and nervous system. This is one reason why people may understand something logically but still feel emotionally stuck. They may know they are safe, yet continue to experience anxiety, hypervigilance, shame, or emotional overwhelm.

Brainspotting uses specific eye positions, called "brainspots," to access deeper areas of the brain where unresolved experiences may be held. By maintaining focus on these eye positions in a safe therapeutic environment, the brain and body are given an opportunity to process and release what has become stuck.

Many clients describe Brainspotting as helping them access experiences that feel difficult to reach through talk therapy alone.

What Does a Brainspotting Session Look Like?

A Brainspotting session does not require you to share every detail of a traumatic experience.

Together, we identify an issue, memory, emotion, or body sensation you would like to work on. I then help you locate a brainspot that appears connected to that experience. As you maintain focus on that spot, you simply notice what arises—thoughts, emotions, memories, physical sensations, or insights.

My role is to provide a safe, attuned presence while your brain and body do the work, they naturally know how to do.

Every session is different. Some clients experience emotional release, others gain insight, and some notice subtle shifts that continue unfolding after the session.

How I Integrate Parts Work

One of the reasons I love Brainspotting is that I often combine it with parts work, an approach influenced by Internal Family Systems (IFS).

Parts work is based on the idea that we all have different parts of ourselves. You may have a part that feels anxious, a part that avoids conflict, a part that strives for perfection, or a part that carries pain from past experiences. These parts often developed for good reasons and are trying to protect us, even when their strategies no longer serve us.

When Brainspotting is combined with parts work, we can help these protective parts feel seen and understood while also accessing the deeper experiences they may be carrying. This often creates a gentler and more compassionate healing process.

Rather than trying to get rid of parts of yourself, the goal is to understand them, build a relationship with them, and help them release burdens they have been carrying for years.

Is Brainspotting Right for You?

Brainspotting can be helpful for trauma, anxiety, attachment wounds, grief, low self-worth, relationship challenges, and many other emotional struggles.

While Brainspotting may sound unusual at first, my own experience taught me that some of the most powerful healing happens when we move beyond understanding our experiences intellectually and begin working with the deeper wisdom of the brain and body.

If you're curious about Brainspotting and wondering whether it might be a good fit for you, I'd be happy to answer your questions and help you explore whether this approach aligns with your goals for therapy.